'We have no idea': Kirk Cousins surprised by Falcons' selection of Penix Jr. | NFL
of atlanta falcons On Thursday night, they made a shocker in the first round of the NFL Draft by selecting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the No. 8 overall pick.
The Falcons drafted Penix a month after signing Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract with $100 million guaranteed, continuing the recent trend of selecting offensive skill players in the first round. expanded. The Falcons selected Penix as the long-term successor to the 35-year-old Cousins, using a draft slot typically reserved for players expected to hit the big time right away.
The Falcons were expected to use this pick to improve their pass rush.
The Falcons also focused on offensive playmakers with their three recent first-round picks. Tight end Kyle Pitts was the No. 4 overall pick in 2021, followed by wide receiver Drake Rondon and running back Bijan Robinson, who went No. 8 in each of the past two years.
As a rookie, Penix, 24, led FBS schools with 4,903 passing yards and was third in Washington with 36 touchdown passes in 2023. He won the Maxwell Award as the nation's top player.
Cousins' agent Mike McCarthy said the quarterback was “surprised” by the selection. “Yes, it was a big surprise,” McCarthy said. NFL Communication network. “We never expected something like this to happen. The truth is, the entire league never expected something like this to happen. We can't hold our heads high.” That was the first time we heard that. It never came up in any of our conversations.”
Penix is widely considered the most pro-ready of this year's quarterback candidates. If the Falcons were to choose a quarterback, they were expected to choose either JJ McCarthy or Drake Maye, a developmental prospect who would sit behind Cousins for several seasons.
With Cousins under contract for at least two years, Atlanta faces the prospect of staying with Penix until he turns 26.
Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot said this week that he would consider taking a quarterback higher in the draft, even if the outside attention is focused on edge rushers.
“Anytime you find a player that you think can be a franchise quarterback, whether it's in this draft, the next draft, a tradeable player, whatever it is, you have to bring him in. We're talking about ~5 years and draft-eligible players,'' Fontenot said.
“It's no different than when you're talking about any other position. Like you said, you could say it's redundant right now, but it could be a big need in the future. I think you always have to be proactive in bringing in players because of the effectiveness and the impact it has.”
The Falcons' draft will not be affected by the NFL's investigation into whether the team may have violated its tampering policy before signing Cousins. Cousins seemed to suggest that he was in contact with team officials at a time when the team was only allowed to talk to team officials. his agent.
Summarize this content to 100 words of atlanta falcons On Thursday night, they made a shocker in the first round of the NFL Draft by selecting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the No. 8 overall pick.The Falcons drafted Penix a month after signing Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract with $100 million guaranteed, continuing the recent trend of selecting offensive skill players in the first round. expanded. The Falcons selected Penix as the long-term successor to the 35-year-old Cousins, using a draft slot typically reserved for players expected to hit the big time right away.The Falcons were expected to use this pick to improve their pass rush.The Falcons also focused on offensive playmakers with their three recent first-round picks. Tight end Kyle Pitts was the No. 4 overall pick in 2021, followed by wide receiver Drake Rondon and running back Bijan Robinson, who went No. 8 in each of the past two years.As a rookie, Penix, 24, led FBS schools with 4,903 passing yards and was third in Washington with 36 touchdown passes in 2023. He won the Maxwell Award as the nation's top player.Cousins' agent Mike McCarthy said the quarterback was “surprised” by the selection. “Yes, it was a big surprise,” McCarthy said. NFL Communication network. “We never expected something like this to happen. The truth is, the entire league never expected something like this to happen. We can't hold our heads high.” That was the first time we heard that. It never came up in any of our conversations.”Penix is widely considered the most pro-ready of this year's quarterback candidates. If the Falcons were to choose a quarterback, they were expected to choose either JJ McCarthy or Drake Maye, a developmental prospect who would sit behind Cousins for several seasons.With Cousins under contract for at least two years, Atlanta faces the prospect of staying with Penix until he turns 26.Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot said this week that he would consider taking a quarterback higher in the draft, even if the outside attention is focused on edge rushers.”Anytime you find a player that you think can be a franchise quarterback, whether it's in this draft, the next draft, a tradeable player, whatever it is, you have to bring him in. We're talking about ~5 years and draft-eligible players,'' Fontenot said.”It's no different than when you're talking about any other position. Like you said, you could say it's redundant right now, but it could be a big need in the future. I think you always have to be proactive in bringing in players because of the effectiveness and the impact it has.”The Falcons' draft will not be affected by the NFL's investigation into whether the team may have violated its tampering policy before signing Cousins. Cousins seemed to suggest that he was in contact with team officials at a time when the team was only allowed to talk to team officials. his agent.
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/apr/26/kirk-cousins-atlanta-falcons-nfl-draft-michael-penix 'We have no idea': Kirk Cousins surprised by Falcons' selection of Penix Jr. | NFL
